Discrimination, Inmigration, and Struggle by

Discrimination, inmigration, and struggle by latinos inmigrant to USA In spite of the U.S. huge expenses on controlling its border with Mexic, the number of illegal Latino immigrants does not appear to have significantly dropped since 1993. The Pew Hispanic center reports show that starting with 2000, the half of the total population growth in the U.S. was of Hispanic origin.

The report also states that the percentage of Hispanic population from the total population growth is rather a result of the natural increase of the existing population than that of the increase in immigrants number (Pew Hispanic Center). These results could indicate that the illegal immigration decreased because of the border enforcement measures adopted in 1993 and used to the present day. On the other hand, professor Wayne a.

Cornelius writes pulls a warning signal when stating that the border enforcement measures only started negative effects concerning the illegal immigration in the U.S. In his view, criminality increased since people-smugglers' businesses flourished and overall, the consequences were opposite to the aim of successfully and significantly reducing the illegal Hispanic immigrants' numbers.

Moreover, the mortality rate among those attempting to cross the border without legal documents rose because people were decided to take higher risks rather than give up trying and those who were already living and working illegally in the U.S. decided to do anything possible not to have to face crossing the border again (Cornelius, 2006). Another key element in regard to the quality of life of the Hispanic community is closely related to the economic changes that took place in the U.S. since 2000.

The recession that has affected people's lives during the last years affected the lives of the Hispanic illegal immigrants even more drastically (Pew Hispanic Center). The fact that the illegal immigrants have few means to fight for their rights exposes them to different kinds of dangers, among which the most common is discrimination based on ethnicity. On one hand, the U.S.

government spent approximately $20 billion for the border enforcement order and additionally around $6 billion a year to keep it going (Cornelius, 2006) and on the other, the Hispanic population living in the U.S. sees its situation worse than before the year 2000. The fact that "during the period of tighter border enforcement, the population of unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. has more than doubled in size, to something between 11-12 million" (idem) worsened the treatment Hispanic generally receive from the authorities in the U.S.

"nearly one-in-ten Hispanic adults -- native-born U.S. citizens (8%) and immigrants (10%) alike -- report that in the past year the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status" (Pew Hispanic Center). The Pew Hispanic Center surveys show that 15% of the Latinos encountered difficulties in finding jobs or housing.

The survey is also indicating that those who were interviewed expressed their disapproval of the enforcement measures taken by the local police against illegal immigrants, the raids made by the police at the working place and the criminal prosecuting both of those hired or hiring illegal immigrants (Pew Hispanic Center). The Hispanic population in the U.S. is more under pressure because of the overall situation of illegal Latino immigrants and discrimination based on ethnicity is reported to have worsened from its point-of-view.

An additional stress is supplied by the worry that someone close could be deported at any time (idem). The quality of life for the Hispanics in this country has and overall decline during the last year. Based on the most recent reports and survey data, programs like border enforcement do not seem to be the solution to any of the Hispanic communities' problems nor does it appear to have improved the situation in any way.

Using the same data, predictions show that the Hispanic school aged population will overcome the non-Hispanic school aged population by the year 2050 (Pew Hispanic Center, 2008). Such results should indicate that there should be an increase in programs aimed at helping the Latino immigrants and their families to improve their life conditions. Beside housing and working conditions, a key factor in the quality of life of the illegal immigrants coming from Latin America is health care.

Reports indicated by the Pew Hispanic Center show that the Hispanic immigrants are twice as likely to lack health care as the black Americans and three times as likely compared to the whites non-Hispanic (Pew Hispanic Center). Illegal immigrants are even worse since they are probably subjected to accepting lower paid jobs that are not providing health care and since their financial situation does not allow them to have a health insurance. Surprisingly, even those who are born in the U.S.

(from Hispanic origin) and also have a health care insurance are declaring that they are not using a particular health care provider because they seldom need medical assistance. Recent report show that the rate of unemployment is almost twice as high among the Hispanic immigrants compared to the rest of the population unemployment rate. On the other hand, it is also more visible, compared to the immigrants coming from other parts of the world since the Hispanics are representing the majority of immigrants in this country.

As previously shown, by the year 2005, 11 to 12 million unauthorized Hispanic immigrants lived in the United States. One has to add that there are statistics showing that almost 74% of the total first generation Hispanic population living in this country does not speak English (Preston, 2007). This aspect adds to the above mentioned problems making the lives of those who flew over the U.S. Mexican border in order to find a better life. Nevertheless, the number of people trying to enter the U.S.

over this border, using illegal means is steadily increasing. The language barriers are considered by those interviewed by the Pew Hispanic Center as the most important source for discrimination, overcoming the negative effects ethnicity and social status (idem). The Hispanic immigrants appear to be aware of the importance of speaking the English language has in their development as aspiring U.S. citizens. The political arena in the U.S.

has plaid the illegal immigrants' issues card and during the last elections, the Latinos are reported to have voted in favor of the democrat party in a proportion of 2:1 (Ludden, 2008). If those measures president Obama promised to take in trying to improve overall life conditions for the illegal immigrants and changing their status into legal emigrants are going to be taken and how.